This blog was created by the Purdue Beef Team as an educational forum for beef producers and Extension educators. It includes timely news, issues, and management tips that have the potential to affect the beef business and decision-making process. Opinions expressed in the news clips do not necessarily represent those of Purdue University or the beef industry.

Taking a long-awaited stand in an emotionally fraught food fight, the Food and Drug Administration yesterday released a 678-page analysis concluding that milk and meat from cloned animals pose no unique risks to consumers.

The decision, subject to change after a period of public comment, stops short of approving the sale of food from clones and leaves in place for now a long-standing government request that farmers keep their clones off the market.

There is nothing more relevant or futuristic in the beef business than a good discussion about buying bulls. This involves a process of selection that impacts the foundation of individual beef herds and the essence of the beef industry. As the discussion deepens, the concept of proven bulls has to evolve.

The result of purchasing semen from bulls that have proven themselves as being quality bulls is easily evident within producer herds. A bigger issue — that the beef raised and made available to the consumer must be of the highest quality — is absolutely critical.

Proven bulls, not just bulls, are the key ingredient. Proven bulls ensure that the right pieces are in the mix to allow management to fine-tune the ultimate product, beef. The industry’s reputation and future depend on these bulls.

Mississippi State Univ. researchers used a total of 210 feeder cattle consigned by 19 producers in a “Farm to Feedlot” program to evaluate the effect of temperament on performance, carcass characteristics, and net profit. Temperament was scored on a 1 to 5 scale (1=nonaggressive, docile 5=very aggressive, excitable). Three measurements were used: pen score, chute score, and exit velocity. Measurements were taken on the day of shipment to the feedlot. Following is a summary of results.

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Posted onDecember 29, 2006|Comments Off on Winter Storm To Stress Western Plains Cattle

Winter Storm To Stress Western Plains Cattle

Cattlenetwork.com

KANSAS CITY (Dow Jones)–The winter storm now developing in Colorado will add stress to feedlot cattle in the west central Plains, but defining the boundary for the worst of the storm is hard to do at this point, said meteorologists and cattle traders Thursday.

The storm comes a week after the last blizzard, which dumped up to two feet or more of snow on parts of Denver and eastern Colorado. Rain and snow also hit parts of the Texas Panhandle and southern Kansas.

Feedlot cattle endured rain and sometimes ice and snow from the storm directly, and then they had to deal with muddy feedlot conditions, feeders, brokers and market analysts said. Warm weather the last few days has allowed feedlot managers to scrape pens and generally get caught up with maintenance, but some of the cattle are just now getting over the health issues related to the wet pens.

South Korean lawmakers are reportedly threatening to ban all U.S. beef imports.

Meatnews.com

A South Korean parliamentary committee is threatening to completely ban imports of U.S. beef if Washington continues to demand Seoul ease its quarantine inspection regulations, according to an Asia Pulse news report.

South Korean officials have rejected all three U.S. beef shipments sent since Korea agreed to end a three year ban on U.S. beef imports.

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Posted onDecember 29, 2006|Comments Off on Four State Beef Conference includes stop near Lewis

Four State Beef Conference includes stop near Lewis

By Jennifer Nichols, Atlantic News Telegraph

The 23rd Annual Four-State Beef Conference will include stop at the Iowa State University (ISU) Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis. According to a press release, the conference, which also includes stops in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, will be at the Armstrong Research Farm on Thursday, Jan. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“The Four-State Beef Conferences are designed to give beef cattle producers in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska an annual update on current cow-calf and stocker topics,” officials wrote in the press release about the event. “The conferences provide a forum of Extension Specialists from four of the USA’s leading beef cattle land grant universities. Sessions are also being held in Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri.”